Halo: Elemental Storm
by Asgardian Dovahkiin
Summary: Sequel to Ancient Elements. Several months have passed since the awakening of Didact and the attack on Earth, Avatar Korra tries to adjust to what is to come, both from the growing presence of the UNSC and from the evil that comes from beyond. Rating is a subject to change.
1. Back to Basics

**UNSC Infinity, Earth's Orbit**

* * *

Several pelicans made landed inside the Infinity's hangar, naval personnel and many marines hopped out of them. The Infinity was getting new arsenals, technicians and defense personnel after the Didact Event. Out of one pelican came out a squadron of new SPARTAN-IVs, it was the newly established Fireteam Majestic, and alongside them were Fireteams Lancer and Crimson.

"Look at this ship." Paul DeMarco said being amazed by the sheer size of the Infinity's hangar.

"Yeah, it's big." Tedra Grant replied.

"I've seen bigger." Carlo Hoya said laughing at his remark, Grant just sighed at Hoya's immatureness. Behind them were Spartans Gabriel Thorne and Anthony Madsen.

"Hey Throne, you heard about the reports that the Forerunner planet that the Infinity discovered a few months back has humans inhabiting it?" Madsen asked his teammate.

"Yeah, reports say that they most of them have powers and stuff." Thorne replied. While they walked towards the Spartan-IV armory, they were met with Commander Sarah Palmer, commanding Spartan of the Infinity, she was currently off and unarmored.

"Well well." DeMarco said checking her out; he obviously had no idea who she was.

"I bet you fifty credits that you can't hit that." Hoya dared his squad leader.

"Fifty credits it is." DeMarco responded, he walked towards Palmer who was speaking with some members of Fireteam Lancer.

"Hey babe, what's your name?" DeMarco asked the commander, Palmer just smirked at the poor excuse for a pick up line.

"My name is Commander Sarah Palmer, commanding officer of the Spartan contingent of the UNSC Infinity." Immediately DeMarco saluted and began to yell at himself inside his head, Palmer called on the others of Fireteam Majestic.

"Commander." They all saluted.

"At ease." Palmer ordered. "I expect that you all don't act so straightforward as your fearless leader here, here's your mission details."

Palmer handed DeMarco a datapad containing the team's mission briefing. "A mission already?" Madsen asked.

"Yeah, straight from the Captain, get used to it. Welcome to the Infinity." Palmer responded walking away.

"I think you owe me, my fearless leader." Hoya said to DeMarco.

"Yeah whatever."

* * *

**SPARTAN IV Armory**

"So what are the details of the next assignment, DeMarco?" Grant asked while the armory machine was assembling their MJOLNIR Gen-2 Armors on them.

"Apparently were a going back to the planet that the Infinity discovered a few months ago, our job is to escort a group of civilians as we establish a base on the planet." DeMarco told his teammates.

"A babysitting op?" Hoya remarked.

"You gotta love those." Madsen said.

Thorne was being outfitted a Recruit-variant MJOLNIR armor; he was the newest member of Fireteam Majestic, just having signed up after the Didact Event. He still had a lot to learn about being a Spartan but he had some experienced, the contingent demanded it.

They were fully armored now and were awaiting their turn. "Who are these VIPs anyway?" Grant asked again.

"Group of teenagers it seems and one of them is called the Avatar."

* * *

_**HALO: Elemental Storm**_

* * *

**UNSC Infinity**

Avatar Korra strolled by the halls of the UNSC Infinity, it had been months since she left her world and things were getting a little…heavy. After the whole battle against the Didact, she and the Master Chief were called for debriefing. The Chief was ordered to descent down to Earth and be debriefed personally by Lord Hood and HIGHCOM.

Korra wasn't so lucky; a group of ONI spooks boarded the Infinity and questioned Korra and her friends, separately of course. They were the scariest group of people that Korra had ever seen; the questioning room was dark with only a lamp giving light to the compact room. Korra could only see the interrogator's hands and chin. He asked a series of heavy questions, everything to where she was born, her world's cultures, secrets and many other things, especially her role in the supernatural and politics.

After that, the scientists came in. They began testing Korra and her friends' bodies, putting strange devices on their skins and scanning them. Bolin was probed…Korra didn't even want to imagine that.

It was night, well that's what the clock said, and Korra couldn't sleep. She strolled alone within the empty metal halls, she reflected on the past year. To only think that she had gone to Republic City to learn airbending and after some weeks of staying there…bam! An entire Covenant fleet crashes into the city and the Master Chief appears. Then the Didact, the Forerunners and the Flood…it was all too much to take in, Korra didn't understand how she had acted throughout it all.

"Can't sleep?" Korra saw that she had arrive to her designated quarters, there Mako had come out of the bathroom. She and her friends shared a whole hall with the restroom being in between Mako and Bolin's rooms.

"Yeah." Korra replied. "We're going back home."

"Yeah." Mako responded. They looked at each other for some time; Korra still had no idea how to handle a relationship so she did the first thing in her mind.

"I really have to sleep, good night." She quickly said entering her room and closing the door. Mako smirked and went back to his room.

It was morning and someone was knocking on Korra's door, she yawned and looked at the clock on the wall. It was 6:00 AM…"Ugh…" Korra still hated mornings. She came out of bed and went for the door.

"Uh…" An armored giant stood in front of her. It was Spartan Thorne of Majestic Squad.

"I've been ordered to be your personal escort for the next mission and was told that since I'm being your bodyguard I would come down to say hello." Thorne said, he was quite surprised to see who the Avatar was. He expected some kind of bald kid that knew spiritual or political stuff, what he got was a…well, in Thorne's mind was a quite well toned young woman.

"Then you could've done it later, it's too early." Korra responded still grumpy of being woken up too early.

"Sorry, we Spartans rise up at four in the morning and practice War Games until six and then we do our regular duties." Thorne explained. "We are going to exit slipspace in a couple of hours…I'll be waiting in the mess hall."

"Okay…see you then." Korra responded in between yawns, she closed the door again and went back to sleep.

Thorne walked back to the mess hall when he was met with his friend Spartan Madsen.

"Got a good look on her, not too shabby eh Thorne?" Madsen asked while elbowing Throne a little.

"Is sex everything you guys think all day?"

"Of course not, there are guns, bullets, my beautiful armor and the Covies we're going to squash." Madsen responded with enthusiasm. Thorne just shook his head at his teammate's silliness.

The mess hall was packed with the new Marines and ODSTs that the Infinity had been re-supplied with. They were getting their morning meal; some Spartans were already munching and called Thorne and Madsen to seat with them.

"Sup guys?" DeMarco welcomed them.

"Nothing much, except that Thorne is hitting the big leagues." Madsen responded.

"Leave him alone, he has enough dealing with Hoya here messing with his ordnance during the last War Game." Grant said, remembering the red vs. blue War Game they played earlier in the morning.

While practicing with Fireteam Crimson, Hoya had messed with the systems of the operation and had made that all of Thorne's ordnance went to him. "Hey at least we tied, I carried this team." Hoya defended his actions.

"Ah don't listen to these Neanderthals, if you ever want to know anything on the ladies just talk with me, as a friend and as squad leader." DeMarco said while putting a hand on Thorne's shoulder.

"Like you know anything about us." Grant stated. "Just ask the Commander."

"Hey that didn't count."

"The fifty credits you still owe me count." Hoya said laughing. Thorne sighed, and he thought that Spartans were at least more different than the Army troopers he had been with before.

Korra and the others woke up and readied themselves, the Infinity personnel had given them UNSC standard clothes, not too different from the stuff that the Marines had to wear but Korra decided to keep her armband and wristbands and ponytails while Mako kept his scarf.

Reasons were that they stood out too much from the rest of the people inside the ship and that would attract…too much attention. Naval intelligence thought so.

They entered the mess hall, it wasn't as packed as before, but there was at least some ODSTs chatting in the corner table and some Spartans looking at their War Games records in another. "So…those are our escorts?" Asami asked.

"I want the big guy!" Bolin said pointing at Hoya was sleeping on the table.

"Well let's go get introduced." Mako said, Thorne turned noticing footsteps coming towards them. It was one of the gifts of becoming a Spartan, enhanced hearing.

"Attention Fireteam Majestic." DeMarco said, waking Hoya up and getting the other's attention. "These are the VIPs."

The Infinity exited slipspace and immediately rammed a unsuspecting Storm Covenant CCS-battlecruiser, shattering it to pieces.

"We got several cruisers orbiting the planet." One of the naval bridge operators said. Captain Lasky could've sworn that these guys had been obliterated by the Arbiter's fleet long ago.

"What's the situation?" He asked.

"They're retreating but they already have troops planetside, near the base site."

"Roland." Lasky said, an AI dressed as a World War I plane pilot appeared on the holo map in the center of the bridge.

"Yessir?"

"Get me on word with Commander Palmer."

"On it." Then Commander Palmer came on screen.

"Orders sir?" She asked.

"Get your troops ready Sarah, there are Covie ground units near the base site."

"Finally, we are on it. Fireteams Crimson, Lancer, Castle and Majestic will be on route."


	2. Rebel Spirit

**Xi Huang, United Republic**

* * *

Xi Huang, an old village populated mostly by descendants of those who colonized the coast for the Fire Nation long ago. It was small, for the most part intact after the Covenant invasion months ago. The UNSC had established a forward operations base close to the village, codenamed: Galileo.

It was being attacked by Storm Covenant units that had made landfall a couple of hours ago, these bastards were not going to stop until they had recovered their lost war god's world. Fireteams Majestic, Crimson, Lancer. Castle and Red were sent to deal with the Covenant problem.

"Alright team, we are proceeding into the village and clear out any inhuman son of a bitch dumb enough to get between us and Galileo base. Do whatever is necessary to save any civilians, understood?" DeMarco said.

"Sir yes sir!" The rest acknowledged. The pelican touched down.

"You four, stay behind us." DeMarco told Korra and her friends. "And don't do anything stupid."

Korra sighed and nodded, they stepped out of the dropship and into the streets of Xi Huang. Covenant units had already made turret placements on top of some of the buildings of the village. Majestic fired at them, bringing down the Grunts manning the turrets.

"Hoya, on your six!" Thorne yelled, Hoya turned to avoid an energy sword slash. An Elite warrior roared, charging towards the Spartan-IV. Thinking fast, Hoya ducked down and kicked the Elite on its legs making it fall on the ground.

Taking his chance, he used his SAW machine gun to fire at the Elite, its shields flashed and burst! Hoya then broke its neck with a stomp. Madsen and Grant found several survivors hidden in their homes and took them to safety. The people gazed upon them as if they were living gods that had come from the Spirit World itself.

"Town is secure; we should join the others on Galileo base." Madsen said.

"Understood, let's go Spartans!" DeMarco said leading the others towards the base on the hill outside the town.

"The four of you should stay back here; it's going to be dangerous up there." Thorne told them.

"Uh no way, we were in worse." Bolin responded.

"Yeah, we will help you and you have to stay with me anyway." Korra added, Thorne grunted from their teenage attitude but nevertheless, he had just got out of his own teenage years.

"Fine, follow me."

Majestic arrived to the base's outer walls, there Fireteam Red were taking cover from incoming plasma fire.

"Alright men, prepare to receive your orders." The squad leader said, he wielded a shotgun and red MJOLNIR armor and had a gruff drill sergeant like voice. "Jonas, scream like a woman."

"Caaaaaaaaan do." Spartan Jonas, with his absurd 'light red' armor said. "Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!"

"Geoff!"

"What?"

"Prepare to sacrifice yourself to save a nearby superior officer." The squad leader ordered.

"I don't think I've been trained on that." Spartan Geoff replied, he was a little bit more overweight than the other Spartans and his armor was orange instead of red.

"Gustavo, kiss ass at will." The squad leader ordered the other Spartan who wielded a Battle Rifle.

"You're both an excellent leader and a handsome man, sir!" Spartan Gustavo happily obliged.

"Excellent work Gustavo! Incoming." They all ducked from an incoming fuel rod shot. Spartan Jonas was still running around screaming…well like a woman…yes.

"Geoff, you're up." The squad leader said.

"Permission to assist Jonas, sir." Geoff asked.

"Permission denied, we will need you for Operation Meat-Shield. Remember, just because your bones are broken it doesn't mean they won't stop plasma from hitting me!" The squad leader responded. "Now get out there!"

"Good call sir!" Gustavo congratulated his 'fearless' leader.

"You're on your way to a medal Gustavo! In fact, medals all the way around. A purple heart for Geoff, a pink heart for Jonas and a brown nose for Gustavo." The squad leader said.

"Oh god…these guys." Hoyas said recognizing them.

"Just focus on securing the base." DeMarco told his fireteam.

"What's wrong with these guys?" Korra asked Throne.

"Well, let's just say that they give Spartans a bad name." Thorne replied. Majestic joined them and began to take control of the situation.

"Listen you dumbasses, secure this location while we help Lancer and Crimson gets this base secure understood?" DeMarco told them.

"Sounds fine with me." Geoff said.

"Grr…fine, just leave some for us." The squad leader replied. "Men proceed to plan Alpha 234!"

"On it sir!" Jonas said, shooting Geoff on the foot.

"Ow!"

"You were supposed to shoot him in the leg Jonas!"

The entirety of Majestic sighed and proceeded into the complex. Once inside there were multiple of dead scientists and Marines. Fighting had intensified; they proceeded until they found Covie bodies. It seemed that while Fireteam Red was outside being the target of the Covenant units inside the Marines had entered and had given them a real slugfest, but both parties killed each other. Which was odd since it had been sudden…and quite brutal considering it was a firefight.

"Looks like your guys were through here." Mako said.

"Yeah." Thorne responded looking around. "Sir where are Lancer and Crimson?"

"Radio's not working in here, must be some kind of interference." DeMarco responded. Korra then felt something in the back of her head, like a small sting.

"What the hell?" Hoya said with a surprised voice, there was a down Banshee in the courtyard. It was on fire, probably from the plasma escaping the fuel tanks.

"Rocket damage?" Madsen asked his teammate.

"No…more like something just swapped it out of the sky." Hoya replied. "Like a big tentacle or something, look at the dents on this thing."

"Tentacle monsters? What the heck?" Madsen said.

"You kidding me Hoya?" DeMarco responded.

"No sir…" But before Hoya could explain gunfire was heard coming towards them. Thorne told Korra and the others to get to cover while they got ready for trouble. From the north passage of the complex came running Fireteam Lancer…or what was left of them.

"Lancer!" DeMarco yelled.

One of the Spartans from Lancer was badly injured, his MJOLNIR armor was all messed up and his visor broken.

"What the hell happened?" DeMarco asked the shaking soldier.

"Monsters…nothing…it was horrible!" The Spartan responded.

"What was it? Covenant? Prometheans?"

"Worse! Game over man! Game over!" The Spartan-IV kept screaming. From the way he came running from, a series of shrieks could be heard.

"Doesn't sound like aliens and robots to me." Thorne said.

"Grant, Hoya, cover that entrance. Thorne and Madsen, protect the VIPs. You, where are Crimson and Castle?" DeMarco asked the still shaking Spartan.

"We lost contact with…Crimson after clearing out…the Covenant from the west wing…and Castle…Castle…they were massacred! Oh god…Jesus…they were ripped to pieces and so were my men!"

"What could do that to a Spartan!?" Asami asked. Then the grunts and shrieks coming from the north corridors intensified.

"Fire!" DeMarco screamed as a massive being came…flying out of the corridors and into them. Majestic fired, hitting the beast with a hail of bullets.

It yelled with a screeching sound that could tear someone's very soul. Korra then felt and intense white noise inside her head, it was happening again. But this wasn't the Didact or her past lives trying to contact her…

The beast grabbed Hoya and threw him into the metal walls, breaking his shields. "Agh!"

Then the beast went for DeMarco and the Lancer Spartan, it grabbed the shook Spartan, it opened its maw and with it decapitated the Spartan.

"Oh no…" Bolin said as they watched the carnage.

"We can't stay in here let's go!" Mako jumped out of cover and ran towards the beast blasting fireballs at it.

"Stay in cover!" Thorne yelled, but they didn't listen. But Korra was grabbing her head, the noise getting higher and higher. "You okay!?"

"This…this thing…it's a spirit!" Korra responded.

"A what?!" Madsen replied, the mad spirit threw the headless Spartan's body away and re-started its attack. Bolin bend the rocks on the ground and threw them at it while Asami grabbed the down Spartan's Assault Rifle and fired.

Mako kept throwing a mixture of fire and lightning attacks. Korra focused, she couldn't allow this thing to kill everyone. She tapped into her enhanced Avatar State. Her eyes became white and the air became heavy.

"What's going on?!" Grant yelled while ducking from the tentacles of the monster.

"It's the girl!" DeMarco responded, Korra ripped the metals from the walls of the complex, and threw them at the beast. It yelled, Korra in her super Avatar State grunted and began to intensify the air.

"She's making a hurricane in here!" Madsen yelled.

"Take cover!" Thorne yelled, they all, including Mako, Asami and Bolin, jumped behind the columns of the complex. Korra combined all of the elements into one ball of energy and blasted the beast with it.

The spirit screamed, moving closer to her. Korra made the gravity around it heavier, trying to stop it but to no avail. It grabbed her and swung her like a ragdoll and then threw her away. Before she crashed into something, Thorne ran towards her and catch her midfall.

"Oww…" Korra said while grabbing her head.

"I got you but…" Thorne tried to say but then the beast had disappeared. Leaving only chaos… "This was strange."

"Everyone okay?" DeMarco asked his teammates.

"I think I broke something…" Hoya replied while looking at his right leg.

"Good thing it was just your leg." Madsen said.

"Shut up." Hoya responded.

"What was that thing?" Grant asked.

"It was a spirit and would you let me down?" Korra told Thorne.

"Oh sorry."

"A spirit? What nonsense are you blabbering about?" Hoya asked while he was helped up by Madsen.

"It's a semi-ethereal being from the Spirit World, but this one was…different. It easily cancelled my enhanced Avatar State when even the Didact had trouble with it." Korra replied.

"I think we should go back to the city and tell them what happened." Mako stated.

"Yeah…but first let me contact the other fireteams…if they are even alive, that we are heading there. Once in the city I'll tell the Captain of what happened." DeMarco responded.

"This doesn't look good Korra, first the Didact and now the Spirits?" Asami said.

"I don't know…maybe Tenzin might have a clue of what's going on." Korra said while looking at the decapitated Spartan on the ground…she had never seen something like this outside her encounter with the Flood. She cringed, feeling like vomiting but she held. "Come on…let's go."


	3. Historic Importance

**UNSC FLEETCOM Building, Republic City, United Republic**

* * *

Korra rested her head softly, still trying to think about what happened an hour ago in Galileo Base. Then it hit her... "Why is it called Galileo anyway?" Korra asked everyone around her which included Throne, Mako, and other naval officers.

"Uhh…what?" Thorne responded.

"Why is the base called Galileo?"

"Well…hmm, back on Earth, Galileo was this very smart man who discovered some pretty neat stuff." Thorne replied while looking at his helmet. "He once said 'We cannot teach people anything; we can only help them discover it within themselves." I like to think that we honored him in the long run."

"When my friends and I were on the Infinity, we never had the chance to learn anything about the…cradle world. Could you uh…tell us some things about it?" Korra asked the Spartan IV, her curiosity getting the better of her yet again. Mako, for some reason, didn't seem to like the Spartan. He didn't know why but something in him just yelled…competition.

"Me? I'm no history professor." Thorne replied looking around for Madsen or DeMarco to get him out of this situation. They were waiting for DeMarco or anyone from the city council to come in at any moment. But they were already waiting for an hour…might as well comply with his VIP. "Fine…"

"Let's start with something that not many of us know but should…a really long time ago, in the lands between the continent of Africa and Asia was the Fertile Crescent, there earliest recorded civilization was born. Sumer, the very first city of Mesopotamia_._" Thorne explained, images appeared in Korra's mind as she tried to imagine the ancestors of her people and theirs.

"Some time later, they disappeared leaving only records of their culture. Their legacy was later inherited by the Babylonians and the Assyrians, nomadic tribes that soon discovered the abandoned Sumerian cities and occupied them. That was the beginning…many, many years after that, what we know as the Classical Age rose." Thorne explained.

"From ashes of wars and conflict, the nation we now know as Greece flourished, with the city-states of Athens and Sparta leading the charge. The Spartans…the finest warriors of the Classical Age, we are named after them…for they glory, experience in battle and courage. During the conflict known as the Persian Wars, the mighty and enormous empire of Persia threatened the Greek city-states and the valiant Greek Army, composed of only 300 Spartans and a handful of other Greek warriors defended their land and died fighting a superior enemy…the man leading them was King Leonidas and he died with his men."

Korra imagined a tall man, leading his army against the most powerful men of history, well…at least what her imagination allowed her to imagine. She saw the Spartans as powerful and mighty Water Tribe warriors, making their last stand against the larger and more technological advanced Fire Nation army.

"Eventually though, this Classical Greek Age would soon be over as well. From the north, what the Athenians called the barbaric lands, the kingdom of Macedonia invaded the Greek cities. With the leadership of the then king, Philip of Macedon, the Macedonians conquered the Greeks. Philip died and his son, the legend…his name was Alexander and at the age of nineteen he became the Macedon king and swore to free all of Asia Minor_._"

A legend? And at that age, he wasn't much older than her or Mako…

"By the Aegian Sea, to the east of Greece, in 334 BC he utterly beat the armies of the Persian Empire. Alexander moved swiftly through Asia Minor, defeating and then liberating his enemies. One by one they fell, from the Scythians to the Egyptians, they fell like dominos. And last but not least it was Persia; Alexander entered Persia and conquered it. He was seen as the Pharaoh in Egypt, a god in mortal flesh and in other parts as the savior, thus he became Alexander the Great_._"

"And he did this all while he was young?" Korra asked.

"Yeah, he got all the way into deep Asia when he was around thirty I think, pretty impressive considering most conquerors were really old." Thorne replied. "You have anyone like that here?"

"Well not really, the last conqueror was killed by my past life." Korra responded, Thorne didn't even bother asking what she meant by past life.

"Anyway, Alexander died of fever after he returned to Babylonia. Sad end for a great guy, his empire was then carved into pieces by his generals. But enough of that, we are getting to the more interesting stuff now. Rome, the pinnacle of ancient civilization."

"How so?" Korra asked.

"Well for a multiple of things, they established the rule of the people and many other things. They conquered much of the known world and paved the way for our modern nation-states." Throne responded.

"Kinda like the Fire Nation for us…they were evil back then though." Korra said, remembering the Hundred Years War.

"Rome was not really evil but…considering all they did it would be easy to brush them off like they were. It started out as a republic but it eventually turned to an Empire, with Julius Caesar helping in shaping it but it was his adoptive son, Octavius who became the emperor. It was a one thousand year empire, with its golden years known as the Pax Romana, the Roman Peace." Thorne kept telling.

"They were beaten? How?"

"Bunch of barbarians and Vikings from the north and political intrigue. Even the mighty must fall eventually."

"Hmm…tell me something more current." Korra said.

"More current? Well the 20th Century was home of two world wars and longest running cold war. The United States of America, it was a country that existed with the foundations of liberty, rights and with the promise that all men were created equal. It with its allies fought against the Axis Powers during World War II." Thorne replied.

"World war? A world war?!" Korra couldn't believe it.

"Sounds a lot like the Hundred Years War." Mako added. "What happened?"

"A lot of things happened, it was the consequences of the First World War, but it was mostly because of one man…Adolf Hitler. He built Germany from the ground up after losing the first war and established the Nazi Party…pure evil I say."

"An Ozai…" Mako said.

"The good guys won, but at a great cost. About 60 Million people died, and it was the bloodiest conflict in human history for centuries until we met the Covenant." Thorne said. "But my favorite piece of history for me is the First American Civil War."

"The United States was split on two, north and south, it was fought for many reasons but the main was slavery." Thorne stated.

"Slavery?" Korra asked.

"Yeah…makes my skin crawl. Led by President Abraham Lincoln, the Union fought against the Confederacy or the Rebels for five long years, until victory was achieved. In one of his speeches, the president said that the conflict and the men who fought in it should never be forgotten and I guess he was right. He said that a house divided shall not stand…"

Those words resonated through Korra's head, something told her that something like what happened to the old United States would happen here…on her world soon. She just had a feeling…a bad feeling.

"And then…the Covenant, we first met them over the colony of Harvest. It was the first to fall, they massacred us. We got small victories but everything changed once they attacked Reach, our fortress among the stars was ravaged, we poured everything we had on them…but we lost and Reach fell." Thorne continued. "And that's when the Master Chief and the crew of the Pillar of Autumn discovered Halo, the ringworld. A few months later and the war ended on a high note, the faction of Elites loyal to the Arbiter became our allies and we defeated the Covenant on the Ark and ended the Great War."

"Wow…" Korra said. "It sounds like your history is full of wars."

"It kinda sounds like it doesn't it? But there were some good parts in between them, some really good parts." Thorne replied.

"History lesson to the kids Thorne?" Madsen said as he walked towards them along with DeMarco and Tenzin.

"Tenzin!" Korra and Mako cheered. Bolin and Asami came after them, they had gone exploring while Korra and Mako had stayed with Thorne.

"They really did some repairs to this place from the looks of it." Asami said.

"You should've seen the eating room! It was amazing!" Bolin said with enthusiasm.

"Korra, I'm glad to see you again." Tenzin said after hugging his former student.

"Me too Tenzin, I have something important to tell you." Korra said.

"What is it?" But before she could tell him anything, a man walked from behind the airbending master.

"Ah, Korra! It's very good to see my niece again."

* * *

**I am sorry if this chapter didn't have as much action as the previous one, but Korra was really curious. :)  
**

**Thanks!**


	4. The Southern Lights

**Republic City**

* * *

"As you can see, having these space people around has just brought chaos." Unalaq, Korra's uncle and Chieftain of the Northern Water Tribe said while they walked through the reconstructing streets of the once glorious city. People rushed through the busy alleys and boulevards, with UNSC Army Troopers trying to calm the down the enraged citizens. "Weapons and war that is all these people know."

"But I thought that the city was already fixed." Korra replied.

"It takes more than some strong arms and pretty faces to rebuild a metropolis young lady, especially one that has gone through hell and back." Major Antonio D. Wright, commanding officer of the UNSC Army on Requiem and administrator of the temporary colonial government on the planet until official vote. He was a middle aged man, standard height of five feet and eleven inches and wore the standard UNSC Army officer's uniform. "The Council has been cooperating but until now, looters and anti-space people have been popping around and made our work harder for us."

"Hardly a problem for your men." Unalaq responded on the offensive. "The United Republic is not the only place that has seen issues, even though us on the Northern Water Tribe were able to repel the aliens' attacks, we too have lost several businesses and lives through the course of the past months."

"How can I help?" Korra asked the two men.

"You are the Avatar, the only beacon of hope on the world." Unalaq replied. "And the only one who can fix it."

"What do you mean?"

"The world has been in a frail balance ever since the Hundred Year War was over, but from current events it has fallen into disarray. We can bring on balance."

"Hold on now, nothing is going to happen without my authorization." Major Wright stated. "I can't have her running around getting into trouble, she is far too valuable."

"I agree, but she has a duty." Unalaq responded. Tenzin stepped into the conversation, having listened to Unalaq and the UNSC officer bickering.

"I believe the best course of action is to get to the bottom of this, obviously Unalaq is correct that the general populace is getting out of hand and the Major is right that the UNSC has limited jurisdiction." Tenzin said.

"Fine, I will talk with Captain Lasky aboard the Infinity, tell him what you plan. But the Spartans stay." Wright agreed and walked away.

"Thank you Tenzin." Unalaq said.

"What's your plan?" Tenzin asked the Cheiftain of the North.

"Come, I will explain on the way there."

* * *

**UNSC/UNITED FORCES Barracks, Republic City**

UNSC Marines marched around the perimeter of the compound as ODST drill sergeants trained a handful of United Forces soldiers in UNSC combat and firearms usage. Several higher ranked United Forces officers taught some Army troopers and Marines in martial arts even though bending was blocked for the UNSC soldiers.

Inside the command tent, General Iroh II was still in deep thinking on the situation that arose from the UNSC presence on the planet. He read the newspapers from the other nations and this one, some good news and some that weren't. Riots in the Earth Kingdom cities and unsuccessful rebellions in the Fire Nation, terrorists wanting to do away with the Fire Lady and the royal family, but were stopped and annihilated by UNSC Marines guarding the palace, things were not going as he believed they would.

The tech was good and the inventors and big science types were going nuts with all the shiny stuff brought down from the Infinity and the Halcyon-class cruisers that accompanies it but it seemed that the bad stuff outweighed the good. "At this rate, you will grow white hairs all over your head." An old man sat in front of the General's desk.

"Lots of bad things are going on, riots, uprisings and now dead fishermen out on sea. What's next, another invasion? It's just one bad thing after another." General Iroh said as he ruffled his hair, trying to relax.

"Your mother is safe, she told me to tell you that the fire burns brighter when the things around it heat up." The old man said with a smile on his face. The General laughed, he hadn't done so in a while.

"Thanks for that Grandpa Zuko."

On another part of the compound which was more of a city square turned into a campsite, Unalaq surround by his personal guard, Korra, Tenzin, Mako, Asami, Bolin and Majestic Squad headed towards the Strategist Tent, were all the maps and military tacticians from the two militaries met and exchanged ideas.

"The Southern Water Tribe?" Korra asked with disbelief.

"The solstice is almost here, if we open the southern portal we might be able to decrease the immense pressure that the physical world is getting." Unalaq said as he pointed at the Southern Water Tribe on the map.

"Whoa whoa there, a portal?" Hoya asked.

"Hoya's right, what do you mean by portal?" DeMarco stepped in.

"It's a portal to the Spirit World, it has been closed for millions of years, if we open it, it's positive energies will purify the planet." Unalaq replied.

"Is this guy for real?" Madsen mocked the Chieftain, earning a stern look from both Unalaq and Korra who didn't like anyone talking bad of her family members.

"It's a longshot but it might be our only option." Tenzin added.

"Wait, this is the mission?" Grant asked.

"Captain Lasky and Major Wright already authorized it, we are all theirs." Thorne responded.

"Yeah! Awesome mission with the super-soldiers!" Bolin yelled. Korra then felt a slight sting inside her head, like a small migraine. She has been feeling them quite constantly since the attack on Galileo.

Outside in the barracks, Red Fireteam and Crimson Fireteam had comeback alive, Jonas was cleaning his helmet while Gustavo was yawning inside the team's warthog. Geoff and the squad leader were checking on the weapon's crates.

"Where are the rest of the weapons Geoff?" The Squad Leader asked.

"That was my job?" Geoff responded.

"We were given our task on the last staff meeting." Gustavo quickly stated.

"We actually do stuff? I just fall sleep inside my helmet." Geoff replied.

"Sir I think Geoff is a lazy bum." Gustavo said.

"Geoff is a lazy bum? Stop the fucking presses." Squad Leader sarcastically said.

"I found some extra rounds on the back of Sabre Fireteam's weapon stashes, bunch of blow-dryers and baby oil was stuffed with the ammo and guns. Took the guns, ammo and the baby oil." Jonas told them.

"Good job cupcake." The Squad Leader congratulated the soldier.

"What was the baby oil for?" Geoff asked.

"For my dance routines." Jonas replied.

"Why would you use baby oil for…never mind, I don't want to know." Gustavo stopped himself.

"I just got word from command, we are getting promotions! I am a Staff Sergeant now, Gustavo you are now a Lance Corporal." The Squad Leader, now Sergeant, let everybody know.

"Awesome, whoot whoot!" Gustavo padded himself on the back.

"Jonas, you are now a Private First Class." The Sergeant told him, Jonas was happy…and started to dance. "Geoff, command has given me authorization to promote you myself."

"Awesome so…"

"You are now Minor Junior Private Negative First Class!"

"That rank doesn't even exist!"

"It does now."

* * *

**Southern Water Tribe**

**Three days later on the eve of the Winter Solstice**

A ship, quite the largest of all of those around, docked on the city's docks. It had the emblem of the Northern Water Tribe on its hull and from it came walking Unalaq, his bodyguards and children, Eska and Desna. From the skies, a lone Sky Bison flew down to meet those who had stepped out of the bridge connecting the ship and docks.

"Right here Oogi." Tenzin commanded his Sky Bison; the Spartan IVs still couldn't believe their eyes, a flying bison? Now that was weird…in a way. They hopped off the animal; they had their weapons on their backs ready for anything.

"Found the trip enjoyable?" Korra asked her personal guard, Spartan Thorne.

"It was…something." Thorne replied as he took out his helmet and breathed the cool air of the South Pole. "So…people actually live on the south pole."

"Yeah, I was born here." Korra responded while she looked through the crowd of reporters and on-lookers.

"Who are you looking for?" Bolin asked his friend.

"Dad! Mom!" Korra yelled with a wide smile on her face and ran into the crowd. Mako and Thorne quickly reacted and followed her.

"Does she always do this?" Thorne asked the young firebender.

"Better get used to it tin man." Mako replied with a sly smirk, Thorne didn't like this guy…especially his cocky attitude. Once through the ocean people, Spartan Thorne who was more of a giant among everyone else and Mako found Korra hugging her dad and mom.

"Mom, Dad this is Mako, I told you guys about him thought the telegraph." Korra said introducing Mako to her parents.

"I'm glad to meet you." Senna, Korra's mother said. Korra's father, Tonraq crossed his arms and looked at Mako carefully.

"You aren't doing anything funny with my daughter are you?" The bigger and more muscular man asked Mako.

"Uhh…ehh…no…sir?" Mako responded, not knowing what to say to this hulk of a man.

"Dad…" Korra said.

"I'm just messing with you, welcome!" Tonraq then shook Mako's hand and began to laugh. Then he looked at the heavily armored demi-god standing behind both Mako and Korra. He was as tall as the legends had said and his face was hidden by a golden visor…emotionless with it on. "And you are?"

"UNSC Spartan Gabriel Thorne of Majestic Squad, assigned bodyguard of Avatar Korra." Thorne formally responded.

"Quite the bodyguard you got there eh?"

"It's his job." Korra replied, through the crowd came Tenzin, Korra's friends and the other members of Majestic Squad.

"Next time, don't leave me with the cameras." Madsen said to Thorne.

"Sorry." Thorne said shrugging his shoulders.

"More giants, great." Tonraq stated. Following them came walking Unalaq and his children, Tonraq quickly noticed him.

They stared at each other for a moment, "It's good to see you again brother." Unalaq said.

"It's an honor to be at the presence of the Northern Water Tribe Chieftain." Tonraq responded with clear sarcasm.

"Oh come on brother, I'm here to help my niece."

"You are?"

"Uh dad, we better get going." Korra said.

"How about you come to the city? We are preparing the festival for the solstice." Senna said.

"That would be great!" Bolin said from the back.

"Festival? What are we going to do in a festival?" Hoya asked.

"Our jobs." Grant responded following the others who were leaving.

"How about we get ourselves some cotton candy eh?" DeMarco proposed.

"I'm game." Madsen said.

It was nightfall and the festival began, people from all over attended the solstice festival. There was everything from games to some other stuff that the wandering Spartan-IVs didn't recognize or understood. They were without their helmets, carrying them with their arms.

"This is reminds of back home, Coney Island you know? My parents and I used to take trips there every summer…I miss those days." Thorne said, remembering when his childhood…and the faces he will never see. All because of the Didact…

"Come on man, no need to get all angsty. We're in a festival, lighten up." Madsen told his friend. "Hey look, shoot the duck-weasel!"

"What a weird animal." Thorne said as he joined his more optimistic friend.

Meanwhile, Korra, Tenzin and Unalaq walked together while discussing the fact about the southern portal. "So I just open it and that's it?" Korra asked.

"Sounds simple, but there is more to it. Opening the gate requires concentration and the ability to use the Avatar State." Unalaq said.

"I can do that."

"Korra said she was attack by a dark spirit, can we expect more of those?" Tenzin asked.

"Indeed, dealing with them will be quite troublesome." Unalaq began to think. Then Tonraq joined them. "Ah brother, it is good of you to join us."

"I heard that you're taking Korra into the South Pole." Tonraq said.

"Correct." Unalaq replied.

"It's too dangerous to go in there and you know it." Tonraq responded.

"Why is too dangerous?" Korra asked.

"It's the Forever Storm…it has been ravaging the area for more than a century. It's too cold for anyone to get there." Tonraq answered.

"It quite is, but with the help of the soldiers I'm sure we can get to it." Unalaq said with confidence.

"She is not going in there."

"Korra is the Avatar, it is her duty."

"Tonraq is right; if it's too dangerous then we must be better prepared." Tenzin joined into the fray. Korra tried to voice her opinion, but no one listened to her. She began to grow more irritated as the three grown men bickered between each other.

"I'm going." Korra said.

"What?" Tonraq and Tenzin said in unison while Unalaq was surprised but then smiled sheepishly.

"I'm going into the South Pole, as the Avatar I must set things straight." Korra responded. "We set off tomorrow, on the solstice."

She walked away leaving the three men to themselves. Along the way she found Mako who was playing dart throwing game, one of them barely missed the bull's eye. "You okay?" Mako asked his girlfriend.

"Yeah I'm fine, it's just that it seems that everyone takes decisions for me without my consent, first there's this thing with the UNSC thinking that I need protection, then there's Unalaq forcing my duty as the Avatar down my throat and now Tenzin and my Dad still treat me as a little girl." Korra wasn't feeling very good and all these things going around her weren't really helping. "I essentially took down the Didact, saved the Master Chief and prevented planetary genocide; I think I'm capable of handling my own on extreme situations."

"I know you can, and the others do to its just that…you're the Avatar, and people tend to look after you, especially Tenzin and your dad." Mako said trying to make her feel better.

"Oh now you're on their side." Korra quickly said.

"No wait…I'm not on anybody's side. I'm just trying to tell you that…you're too important and no one wants to see you hurt. Especially those who love you." Mako replied.

"I'm sorry…yeah you're right. My head hurts, I'm going to sleep, wanna come?" Korra asked her boyfriend who's face quickly turned red.

"Eh…uh…I don't..uhh…"

"By the way where's Bolin and Asami?" Korra asked.

"Uh they went with DeMarco and the other Spartans to play around the games."

"You still wanna come?"

Mako couldn't resist the smile appearing on his face and just said the most normal answer for a guy his age. "Sure!"

The Spartans followed their VIPs back to the lodging area outside the festival, the party was over and everything seemed to tone down. On their way back, Thorne and Madsen noticed something.

"Oh shit…we lost our VIPs." Madsen said.

"We were too entertained that we forgot our damn mission…" Thorne added. "Maybe they went back to the lodges without us noticing."

"Yeah, let's go." Madsen said, they made their ways to the lodges. Madsen entered his, he was supposed to have guard duty and well…guard in the living room. He was going to sleep on the couch, same with Thorne. He entered… "Hey Thorne, my cabin's empty."

"What?" Thorne couldn't understand, and then it hit him. He entered his and found Mako dead asleep on the couch, he sighed and went to the room to see if Korra was in. She was, sleeping in her bed comfortably. For some odd reason the Spartan smiled warmly but then shook his head and thought clearly again.

"Found them, they're fine. He's on the couch and she's in her bed." Thorne told Madsen.

"Ufff…for a moment there I almost shit my pants. Would you have imagined the face on DeMarco if told him that we had lost them?"

"Yeah."

"Good thing the little man wasn't snooping around eh Thorne?"

"Shut up."

It was the following morning, Korra yawned awake as the sun's rays hit her tanned skin. She put on her fur boots and walked into the living room. There, Thorne had fallen asleep sitting on a chair next to the door and Mako was still sleeping on the couch. Firebenders apparently didn't rise with the sun.

"Hey wake up." Korra shook Thorne awake; the armored man opened his eyes slowly. His first sight being Korra whose hair was down and eyes were as blue as ever. "Good morning."

Thorne yawned, he had never sleep in, it was ten thirty…he usually woke at five. "Morning." He replied. "Madsen was kinda worried for scarf boy there."

"Yeah, sorry about that." Korra said while she woke Mako up.

"Five more minutes." Mako said with a tired voice, Korra laughed while Thorne just shook his head.

On the stables of the city, Unalaq and the Spartans were readying their cargo. Traveling to the South Pole would require extra supplies for those not in power armor. Luckily they had already invented snow bikes, no need for snow…camels.

"I don't like following this guy's mumbo jumbo." Hoya told DeMarco.

"Me neither but we are on orders, just protect your VIPs." DeMarco responded.

"We already fought a 'dark spirit' he might be onto something." Grant said.

"Yeah on drugs." Hoya replied.

"Sorry for being late, Thorne decided to get some more beauty sleep." Madsen said arriving with Thorne to the stables.

"Why are there snow bikes in a stable full of…camels?" Thorne asked.

"Beats me, just get the equipment set up." DeMarco said.

"Soldiers." Unalaq said, the Spartans turned to face him. "It is clear that none of you trust me."

"To be frank, it's not that we don't trust you it's just that you say some pretty unbelievable things." DeMarco responded.

"I do? You're calling me a liar for believing the ancient knowledge of my people?"

"No we don't, it's just that…we just want to get along alright? Command told us to get things straight down here; we just were picked for this safari okay?" Madsen stepped in.

"Loyal and obedient, good traits for soldiers. We are going to get along just fine." Unalaq said as he smiled and walked away leaving a bad taste in the Spartans' mouths.

"Yep, I don't like him." Grant stated.

* * *

**The South Pole, Southern Water Tribe**

The team began their expedition, it was obvious that it was going to take a while and as they went deeper into the southern pole the blizzard intensified. The Spartans ignored the cold winds and snow for their MJOLNIR GEN2 power armor protected them to a degree, they could barely feel the sub-zero winds.

It was a different story for the others; they had to wear extra layers of clothing and what not. Some of them were riding snow camels, a thought that still perplexed the Spartans' minds. Since these beasts looked more like horses than camels.

On the way there, Bolin kept commenting on how they were being followed. "You guys hear that?" Bolin asked as he looked around.

"Yeah we hear it." Tenzin replied.

"I don't see anything in my motion sensor." Madsen added. "It's probably the wind."

"Yeah…just the wind." Bolin tried to make himself feel better.

"How much to the pole?" Korra asked.

"Not too much now, the storm is getting bigger." Unalaq answered.

"We better make camp and rest a while; it has been hours since we began." Tonraq said.

They hid below a big rock, they were safe from the snow but they still needed heat. Hoya took out one of his flares and with some wood made a campfire. "Now this is what I'm talking about." Bolin said as he warmed up.

"Now that we're better, there's something weird…" Mako said. "If you two are brothers wouldn't that make Korra a princess?"

"A what?" Korra raised an eyebrow.

"Technically…" Unalaq responded.

"Oh yeah…" Bolin said. "What happened? Aren't you older Mr. Tonraq sir?"

"Yes, I am." Tonraq answered, and then Korra pieced the puzzle together. "I should've been Chieftain of the Northern Water Tribe."

"What!?" They all said together.

"What a twist!" Madsen told Thorne. "Get it because…agh you wouldn't understand."

"Yeah." Thorne said as he smirked.

"What do you mean Dad?" Korra asked.

"You should've told her long ago." Unalaq said.

"Told me what!" Korra insisted.

"I left the North Pole because…I was banished."

"Twenty years ago, a group of barbarians attacked the capital city of the north. I was able to fight them and drive them out of the city. We followed them into a forest, it was odd to find an oasis in the polar desert but nevertheless we knew they were hiding in it." Tonraq told. "I knew that going inside meant walking into an ambush, so we did the most logical…we flooded the entire forest."

"It was an error that would change my entire life." Tonraq said. "After I returned, the city was attacked again during the night, but not by bandits or barbarians, but by spirits. Mad that we had flooded and destroyed their spiritual forest, I had no idea and the city was paying the price."

"The warriors rallied and tried to stop the spirits, but we were outmatched. But then my brother, Unalaq, was able to calm the spirits down. His knowledge of the spirits saved us, but after the battle my father told me that because of my ignorance and attitude, I had endangered our home and he banished me from the kingdom." Tonraq revealed. "I later traveled to the Southern Water Tribe where I met your mother, Senna and well then you were born."

"Whoa…quite the comic book tale." Madsen said.

"Shut it." DeMarco told the childish Spartan.

"Why didn't you tell me this?!" Korra yelled.

"I wanted to protect you from the shame I brought to the family." Tonraq tried to explain.

"Oh now you are protecting me by lying? I am tired of this, of everyone giving out excuses for trying to protect me; well I don't need your protection!" Korra yelled and walked away from the campfire towards her snow came

"Korra wait…!" Tonraq tried to reason with her but she wouldn't listen.

"Drama…teenage angst…you got to love it." Grant said, the Spartans were listening from a distance. They were near the snow mobiles/bikes.

"Hey now, Thorne here is barely passed his teenage years." Hoya poked fun at his rookie teammate.

"I'm twenty-four." Thorne replied.

"A kid by our standards." DeMarco said. "But you are a Spartan, one of us."

Thorne watched how Korra stood alone by her animal guide, Naga. He sighed…

From the back, after they had resumed their trek, Thorne watched how Korra ignored her father; he tried to reason with her but to no avail. Something in him wanted to tell her how lucky she was that at least she had a family…a real one, but another part of him wanted to hug her…? 'Earth…well this place to Thorne, you are a Spartan, the best of the best. Keep your daydreams and nightmares away from the mission, like a true Spartan.' Thorne thought, trying to focus on the mission at hand.

Then he saw Tonraq move his snow mobile and leave them, heading back to the city. "Guy must've had it." Madsen said. "I don't blame him."

Thorne watched him leave…"Yeah."

"He we are…the South Pole." Unalaq said, arriving into the very center of the Forever Storm raging above the seal south pole.

"This is different." Grant said as she looked at the sky, the green colors of the dark clouds swirling around the frozen forest below.

"Alright team, protect your person. Anything could happen." DeMarco ordered.

"What now?" Korra asked her uncle.

"You must go inside the forest and unlock the South Pole." Unalaq answered.

"No way, she isn't going without us." Mako stepped in.

"Without me neither." Thorne said too, holding on to his Battle Rifle.

"No." Korra said gaining everyone's attention. "This is something I have to do alone."

"I have my orders and I'm not about to disobey them." Thorne told her.

"I am the Avatar; it is my duty to do this!" Korra responded. She hopped off Naga and walked towards the Forever Storm. "And don't follow me."

Thorne placed the safety off his rifle and reloaded it. "Watch over them." Thorne said as he quickly went after Korra.

"He's crazy; she's the only one that can survive in there." Unalaq said.

"He's a Spartan, the best of the best. He will make it out." DeMarco told him.

Thorne entered the frozen forest, he couldn't see Korra anywhere. "Korra!" He yelled but no one responded. Then he saw above him something move, "Shit!" He then jumped out of the way as two dark snake-like spirits were about to take his head off.

He then fired with his BR at them, the bullets ripping through the spirit snakes, making them disappear. "Well that wasn't so hard." He said but then he saw a shadow appear behind him. He turned and beheld an enormous dark spirit being.

"Ah!" It struck him with its long arms, his shields broke and his body broke through the ice sheets. He stood up and saw the beast coming towards him at an alarming speed. He threw a grenade; the explosion made the monster fall back and allowed Thorne to run towards a safer location.

Then he saw what appeared to be Korra, "Hey!" He yelled, but the beast then grabbed him by the neck and threw him into the direction he was looking at.

"Augh…this is bad." Thorne said as the monster turned into about a hundred of spirit snakes and began to constrict him. Throne felt like his armor was about to crack but he resisted, he gathered all of his strength and with all his might he broke free from the spirit snakes' grip.

Angry, the dark spirits punched the Spartan into more ice trees and sheets, finally ending up inside an open area, where the closed spirit gate was. Korra was there punching the ice blocking the gate. "I told you not to follow me!" Korra told him.

"Behind you!" He whipped out his BR and shot at the spirit coming behind Korra, it retreated but then the snakes returned. They grabbed the two of them; Thorne was feeling the weight of these supposed ethereal beings crushing his ribs. "This…is…a good time…to do something!" Thorne yelled.

Korra tried to touch the spirit gate but the dark spirits were pulling her back…there was only one things left to do. She entered the Avatar State and with it pulled herself closer to the gate, Thorne watching as how she at that state was burning several of these dark spirits by just touching them. She was close…closer…closer and…

A white lighted engulfed the entire South Pole as Korra unlocked the spirit gate with her Avatar power. The ice melted and the Forever Storm died down, Korra stood up from the grassy ground to see the opened gate. She looked at the base of it…it looked a lot like the stuff that the Forerunners made their tech out of.

"It worked…" Thorne said as he saw the light pillar coming out of the spirit gate. And the sky was then full of what seemed Aurora Borealis. It was beautiful… "Good job." He told Korra.

She smiled, "Let's go back." Korra said. From the other side Unalaq also smiled.

"Christ…they did it." DeMarco said.

"She did it." Unalaq corrected him. "She's the Avatar after all."


End file.
